The Beautiful Is Free: Fourteen And Over

By Ashlea Raywood

Have you ever been told not to judge a book by its cover? Truth is, you really never know what's happening on the inside.

The ghosts of our lives are all around us, we just have to listen.

What's beautiful, isn't always free...

Residing in a picturesque seaside Tasmania

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raywood
• Release date: Sep 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9780645921519

Book preview

1

The Kidnapping

One

Life As They Knew It

~ 1 ~

     Wyatt Fineman sat with his two best and only friends at the park by the town's infamous waterfront. He’s seen as the ideal son to the outside world and the epitome of perfect in his mother’s eyes. He began to feel the familiar chill of late afternoon air, his personal notification home time looms. It's August and the weather had lately been decent enough to spend time outdoors, although these three boys would try to go out rain or shine. 

     Down the track tomorrow? His best friend Ricky asked.

The third boy, named Ryan; replied with a low tone of internal irritation that his friends are used to, so much so they knew what's coming. Unlike Wyatt, Ryan isn’t regarded with the same pride at home. Ethan has a football game, so I can't hang out tomorrow. He said gathering up his few Pokémon cards as he announced his departure from the park.

     Ricky turned to Wyatt. See Wy? I told you it'd just be us again.

    Wyatt looked to Ryan with a smile. Don't worry, we won't go down the track without you. Though there's not much else Gerryville has to offer.

     It satisfied Ryan to hear this. They hadn't been down there much over the years, and it's the perfect place to explore.

   Yeah, I mean it's not much fun with just Ol Wylie Coyote here anyway-hey hey! Ricky said with a lonely chuckle.

     "Okay, please don't start calling me that." Wyatt said irritated.

     Ricky seemed delighted with himself.

   Thanks guys. Ryan said. How about the next day, Sunday after Wyatt's church thing?

     Both Ricky and Wyatt agreed. With that sorted, Ryan set off for home.

     It's called mass and you know it! Wyatt called after him. He'd leave to follow shortly as his house is only a few streets on from his, he just had some card swapping to sort with Ricky first.

    Ryan walked along the path with his own Pokémon cards in one hand, the other raking fingers through his floppy but neatly cut, bright blonde hair. His unmatched blue eyes looked over the grassy greens creeping over onto the pathways. He's never aware of how the light of the darkening sky gives them a chance to challenge its rich colour, and his face a handsomely grownup appearance. In some ways, he is more grownup than his other classmates. Not that he's boring in the slightest, he just seemed a little more mature, he's a very deep person compared to his peers.

     His long-time friend Ricky knows him better than anyone, understanding he's like he is because of what things are like at home, especially since the aunt moved in nine months ago. Ricky had never let on however, that he knows these things to a deep extent and thinks him to be a rather brilliant person, admiring him unconditionally.

     Ryan thought of that bitter thing. He doesn't like his aunt Thelma Kersh, the adopted sister of his mother, the very thought of her makes him want to throw up his insides and stab himself in the neck with his own Sharpie highlighter.

She was friendly towards him but definitely not when they're alone. The accusations he had against her were of course nonsense to the ears of his parents. They weren't completely terrible parents, but they tended to be stupidly blind and favour his seventeen-year-old brother Ethan.

     Looking at the sky always made him have a nice feeling though, helping promote a view of something hopeful rather than dead-end sorrow. He began to walk with a faster pace as his thoughts turned to dinner.

~ 2 ~

     Richard 'Ricky' Benson ate his spaghetti dinner with gusto. He wanted to go muck around in his bedroom before the good shows come on. He ate the last wriggly pasta from his bowl, heading straight to his room without even putting his dishes in the sink. For his last birthday he’d gotten a practical jokes guide from his parents, they're always amused at his silliness and encouraged it in friendly ways. He planned to put some of these pranks to good use on Wyatt one day, he's always so composed and sensible so he seemed like a perfect target.

     Where they'd hang out tomorrow he doesn't know, probably just meet up and wander around or stay at Wyatt's house to do something there. Wyatt's place is okay but in Ricky's opinion the most exciting thing there is Wyatt's sixteen-year-old sister Candice.

     Stretched out on his bed looking through the book, he became aware of the light rain tapping on the window, reminding him to shut his curtains. The idea of somebody lurking outside the house, outside his window in the dark disturbed him, especially when he'd go to get changed or something. He closed the curtains and walked over to the messy volcano he calls his 'wardrobe.' Now in his pyjamas, he headed to the bathroom for a good old teeth brushin' time.

     In the mirror he stared at the familiar reflection, his striking green eyes sitting safely behind his nerdy glasses. His hair, as always, an organised mess. With the bright hue of the bathroom light, its brownness took on that reddish tinge the sun also gifts it.

One day I'll use contacts, hopefully one day I'm rich enough to buy them... and a vintage sports car...

He went out to the lounge, happy to see he had the TV to himself. His mum and dad were getting ready elsewhere for one of their adult night outs. He sat on the bean bag with the remote in his hand, pointed it towards the TV and pressed the power button with a big, satisfied sigh.

     Oh Christ. He mumbled realising the channels wouldn’t come up again, it flickered back and forth from solid blue and black screens. It’d been playing up for the last few weeks now, but it always came through in the end so no plans for a new one yet. After a couple of frustrated minutes, he sat back down to enjoy the evening alone.

      The television occupied him for a good hour and a half before he decided he's tired enough for bed. The parents had gone by now, probably talking and dancing the night away with their friends or something he supposed. He went and slipped into bed, thinking about an advertisement for the army he saw on telly.

      That's probably something bloody Wyatt would do.... Nah who am I kidding?...

Ricky isn't entirely sure what he wants to be, the ideals always change. He figured he'd be whatever he will be, as long as he has fun. Of course, his mother wants a more structured future career plan than a freelance funny guy. His father feels the same but understands his boy, having no doubt Ricky will be a great man someday.

   At the thought of Wyatt he remembered there's a chance of going to his house tomorrow. With that his thoughts turned to Candice Fineman. If ever there were a perfect star to play the role of girl next door in any schoolboy’s fictionally sexed up daydream, it would be her. The way she has the reputation of church going goody two shoes while simultaneously keeping the idealistic popular-girl-in-high-school persona is understandably intriguing. She has it all, and Ricky wants her and has done so for years.

    For the past few months however, he’d been giving her the cold shoulder. Back in April when he was due to turn fifteen, he came across her once again. Over the years he’s had many teasing run-ins with her, but this one time really got to him for some reason.

     He was returning to Wyatt’s bedroom from the bathroom when she came walking up the stairs with her very popular and obnoxious best friend. Ricky politely said hello to her like he always did, when this time the friend brutally insulted him for no good reason. The worst part is that Candice didn’t defend him at all and seemed to agree with her. That threw gasoline and a lit match onto the already burned Ricky. He confidently shrugged it off just as he normally did in any such situation that didn’t agree with him.

Later that night he cried himself to sleep.

      Now, even though he still feels the same way about her, he tries to ignore her and act as if she doesn’t exist when she's around. He dozed comfortably off to sleep with the few good memories of her lighting his hazy mind.

~ 3 ~

      Wyatt sat at his family’s upper-class dining room table eating his Saturday breakfast, plain old cornflakes today. He wondered what he and Ricky would get up to as the day would unfold. He loves both his friends but hanging out with Ricky one on one is quite enjoyable, even if it does mean you get twice the teasing and jokes.

     He's never sure about bringing him around to his house now, he tends to be a real moron when it comes to his big sister. Over time it became common knowledge that he's infatuated with her. Wyatt couldn't understand why because really all it did was cause grief for him after Ricky's gone. Although he has noticed it hasn’t been as bad lately.

Besides, he swears Candice is repulsed by Ricky.

     He finished his breakfast, drank the rest of his orange juice, cleaned his dishes and went upstairs to get ready to go meet him at the milk bar. As he walked along the hall to his bedroom, Candice came out of her room clad in her night gown, hair a mess, mobile phone in hand with a girl’s voice emitting from it like an angry parrot chattering worse than Ryan's pet bird. This parrot's name is Bethany and it seems she's furious about some guy named Trip or Trap or... Who really knows?

     Candice seemed to be only half listening to the death threat sounds coming from her phone, she looked like she'd just woken up which wouldn't be surprising.

      Hey what's wrong with Beth? He asked out of pure curiosity.

    She covered the phone with her hand so that Bethany couldn't hear them speak. Meh, just the douche she met last week. You wouldn't understand lil' bro. She gave him a half smile.

      Wyatt replied defiantly. I'm only two years younger than you.

     She raised an eyebrow in judgement. Dude how could I forget, but right now you’re still thirteen, because you’re a little baby. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to pee. She walked past him to the bathroom, still with the parrot raving on.

    Wyatt frowned at her remark. I might have a friend over today so please try not to have her yelling or whatever when he's here.

     She turned to look at him with her normally long dirty blonde hair, looking somewhat like a hardcore-sleep induced afro. Which one? The little weirdo with his morbid drawings or the little douche that thinks he's charming?

     That's Ryan, and Ricky. I know you know their names. He said with an annoyed tone.

      She rolled her eyes. Does it look like I care?!

      It's just Ricky today. Why do you care anyway? He replied defensively.

     I just like to know what I'm up against. She said this with a funny, almost devilish smirk turning for the bathroom, taking Bethany off speaker and talking to her with the phone to her ear.

    Wyatt finally got to his room dismissing the brief encounter with his sister. Not without first thinking maybe later telling Ricky what she looked like this morning just to gossip about her behind her back. Call it a little friendly sibling rivalry.

    He finished dressing for the day by putting on one of his many polo shirts, today seemed like a good day to wear the grey one with the blue trim. He combed his brown hair over to the right in a fashion similar to the old college contour of the fifties not much seen these days amongst fourteen-year-old boys, maybe on the old men that went shopping on Thursdays or hobbled along to Sunday mass.

     Over the last few months, he’d slowly grown out from his familiar chubbiness into a more slender, slightly taller version of himself. While he doesn’t pay much attention to these details, others do. His subtly well-developed physique now gave him the occasional unwanted attention from girls and left him open for the senseless attacks by intimidated male bullies at school, but he's still considered to be owner of the blandest personality in his class. Not far behind Ryan, but that's only because he keeps to himself so much, or rather everyone is intimidated by him. It's the eyes Wyatt had concluded, they're quite intriguing and intimidating in their own right. Lovely but, different.

About his own, some say grey eyes are great, but secretly he wished he could have something more exciting, green or blue like his friends. Even Candice's are more exciting than his.

     Looking snappy in his mirror he left his room hoping he took long enough for Candice to have finished with the bathroom. He really needed to tinkle. He came out to see her walking towards her bedroom, no longer talking with squawking Bethany. Unlike him his sister is an adept ‘cool kid’ and immensely popular at school.

     She gave him one look and spoke harshly. You're such a dork. Sometimes I wonder if we're even related. She came over to him to run a finger through his hair as he pulled back with an irritated grunt. "One of these days I'm going to make you let me give you a haircut." She walked off inside her bedroom and shut the door.

     It's his go to haircut; she's just being mean he always figured. He went to tinkle before he left for the front door. He didn't need to take anything with him today but his pocket money for the milk bar. Yet, he felt like he was forgetting something...

     His hair!

    He had to fix what she'd interrupted on his head. After clearing that up he went back downstairs to find his mother. If he left the house without giving her a kiss goodbye, he'd never ever hear the end of it. He didn’t mind, he loves her just as any son may love their mum. Her protection of him is boldly motherly but there’s certain lines a parent can cross without feeling they’re crossing one. In some respects, Patricia Fineman’s ‘love’ for her son is far beyond that line, it’s so far in fact that anyone not as specially moulded as Wyatt would realise sooner rather than later that she’s obsessive and downright cruel in some ways.

     Not a single time had he forgotten to kiss his mum goodbye, she made sure of that.

    He started at a relaxed pace along the sidewalk with the destination fixed casually in his mind, where he'd soon see Ricky, and that's always the perfect way to start any day’s events.

~ 4 ~

      Whilst her little brother was on his way to meet one of his pesky friends in the Main Street, Candice Fineman undressed in the bathroom. She felt the need to clean herself after the morning she’d just woken up to. At first, she was hearing all about Bethany’s recent experience about this guy. Over time Candice turned all her friend’s boyfriends into one guy, it just made it easier to deal with. Being Bethany’s ‘best bitch’ meant that she's subject to many girly talks of fashion and her escapades as a connoisseur of the promiscuous kind. Today after complaining about the current dude, she began once more to try and urge Candice to accept the advances of Rob Brannon, one of the hottest and most popular boys in their grade at school.

    Almost every day she would hear But Candice you’d have to be completely insane not to go out with him! He’s just so... Happening.

Cue eye roll.

   But what really garnished the shit over the day was that she’d just had a little argument with her mother. Well, it seemed like a little argument but they both know it was bigger than that. All Candice had done was suggest she doesn't go to mass tomorrow and her mother responded with great hurt and aggression, as if she'd just found out the church priest was a secret Satan worshipping child killer. That's what Candice felt the reaction was like anyway. There was almost no point in asking and she knew it. Tomorrow she would once again attend Sunday mass with the rest of the ‘bible zombies.’

    As she stepped into the shower and turned on the water, she felt as annoyed as a caged tomcat. Her hazel eyes began to tear up a little as the water created a waterfall of flowing dark gold over her head. She's sixteen and not permitted to miss a single day of church to hang out with her friends on the weekend.

      It's like torture or something...

She began to hum the sweetly cagey tune to Pete Murray's ‘Bail Me Out’, figuring she'd give that song a spin later when her mum's gone. Her dad was already out with his mates.

      Living life how he wants to... Unlike me...

   With the thought of loud music ceasing the recent anger surge her church loving mother had created, she soaped her body's skin as she wondered why Bethany even bothers to talk to her about her boyfriends. This time it was Tray she was pissed off at, some dude she met last week that works in the Launceston Kmart.

     Candice hadn't actually been into the dating thing, despite popular belief, so really the only advice she could give Bethany were things she'd picked up off the television and in magazines, not to mention learning from her friend's past endeavours. Also, unlike Bethany she's very much a virgin and didn't really mind this fact, although there's pressure from her friends who basically urge her to change this little fact about herself. It seems everyone is obsessed with sex. She just isn't. Suppose it has something to do with her upbringing, in this household anything sexually related is completely and absolutely frowned upon. There were times she thought she should just give in and say yes to Rob, but if she were to become his girlfriend he'd surely try to get in her pants at some point.

      Nope not happening, just no... Gross on steroids...

     She did however; enjoy driving her little brother's nerdy friend crazy.

Without having seen the little twerp for a while she felt it was time for some good mocking of him. Thinking it over every now and then she decided she may have been too mean a few months ago. Only because she noticed he’d been ignoring her in a way she found maybe more irritating than him actually irritating her with his petty glances of admiration in her direction and attempts to engage her in a play of words. It was really Bethany that sent Ricky into a surge of Candice related silence that’s lasted these months. Suppose it may have been a little weak of her not to say something when Bethany looked Ricky in the face and told him to ‘take his lame style and over-ripe sense of self confidence and beat off into a sock somewhere very far away.’

      Finishing up by washing the pollution of conditioner out of her golden waterfall, she now stood in front of the bathroom sink looking at her reflection in the mirror, wondering why she isn't like everyone else, why couldn't she relate to her friends, why couldn't her mother see she's upset and....

      Is that a pimple coming through?...

She sighed deeply and left the room.

    In her bedroom she'd wrapped herself up in her bath towel with the bundle of another towel drying her hair. She figured she'd just chill out in her room today, and when her brother comes back with his nerd she'd 'accidentally' stumble across them- maybe literally... She thought with a tiny chuckle.

      As she freed her hair from the towel-turban, her mother called out from the bottom of the stairs. "Candice I'm leaving now. If you see your brother, please make sure he's not up to anything silly with that friend of his! There was a pause. And please don't think you're being punished. One day you'll thank me for making you open yourself to God. I'll be back later with your father!"

    Candice had no intention to answer but did so out of the underlying respect and unspoken knowledge that if she didn't answer it'd make it worse. Yes mum, I will. Have a nice time and I love you! She called out reluctantly.

She's just happy that now she could blast her music without interruption.

~ 5 ~

     As Wyatt found Ricky in the Main Street and Candice rocked on in her bedroom by herself, Ryan was miserably sitting in the audience bleachers at the local football oval.

     His brother Ethan had a game on and their parents were sitting beside the aunt who had Ryan seated beside her. Whenever an intense situation unfolded on the field making the audience very involved and occupied, Aunt Thelma gave Ryan a stern nudge with her elbow, looking down at him with her critical eyes. Her maroon dyed perm sitting under an enormous ugly hat. shading those dark eyes soaked with bad intentions. Her wrinkly mouth made her look like a saggy old witch and the fact she had makeup caked on in a horrid way made her look even older than she actually is.

      Go and get me a drink will you boy, I'm thirsty. She passed him a five dollar note; at least she gave him money this time. Usually, he was left to use his own money or ask for it from his parents. And if you keep any change, I'll make sure you get a whuppin' for stealing.

      He got up from his seat for the canteen where a small line of people waited. A young couple, behind them a teenage girl, Ryan figured she was probably one of the player's girlfriends by the way she's done up all pretty and such. Behind her a middle-aged man stood with a young boy who's really hungry by the sounds of his whiny nagging. Then here he stood behind them.

      He didn't really know why he obeyed that horrible woman; sort of just did it now like he's just used to it. Ricky once said he wants to pull a really good practical joke on her and teach the old hag a good lesson on why not to mess with young boys.

     Ethan hasn't been the same lately, but Ryan hasn't seen anything strange happen. But with that said, has anyone else when it comes to how she treats him? Apparently not. Ethan's usually a standoffish tough type that's nearly a bully to his brother, but lately he hardly sees him and when he does he's either overly moody and mean or even stranger still -he's really nice towards him.

   After the man got his son an ice cream and a bag of chips, Ryan walked up to the counter and asked for a bottle of water. The lady took the fiver off him and turned around. Her face appeared again as she passed him a bottle of natural spring water with the change. Thank you ma’am. He said with a sweet smile, rarely seen nowadays,  though a natural form on his face.

      No worries, have a nice day. She replied happily.

Yeah right... He thought as he walked back towards the seats. The idea to make a run for it to his friends crossed his mind, even though he had no idea where they even were.

    He got back to his seat handing her the drink and money, stopping mid action to imagine earthly vines of deep green slowly creep out from behind her and begin to wrap around her stout neck. He stood by as she sat looking at the field with no reaction while these vines gripped her tightly- maybe her neck could break at the grip, before they retreated, disappearing into nothing behind her again. He squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to get a grip on himself.

     Well it's about time boy, I was starting to think you'd left us for good and taken my money. She said looking at him as though he's street trash looking for freebies.

Ryan thought that was such a ridiculous thing to say, who runs away with five dollars?         Here's your water and here's the change. He said with as much politeness as he could muster. She snatched it all off him and put the money in her purse.

    She unscrewed the cap, wrapped her disturbing lips around the top of the bottle and took a long slurping gulp of water, resembling a hungry bottle-fed calf sucking the milk out of the latex teat. Although honestly a calf has a lot more class than her.

     This sight made Ryan so uneasy that he had to look away, looking out onto the field to try and spot his brother. He had no idea what was going on, he isn't much of a football fan, or of any sport really. He's more of an art guy; his favourite subject at school is art. His drawings are random and often overlooked by most, but the art teacher Mrs Monroe liked them. The drawings are mainly people, people he saw down the street, people he saw on television and people he saw in books, even dreams. Ricky suggested that he draw naked girls which he quickly declined to do, he wouldn't even know what exactly to draw. Wyatt liked them too but thought some of them were a little creepy.

      His aunt turned towards him, blatantly 'dropping' the water all over the front of his body. His mum and dad didn't see of course, no way would they have seen because they're concentrating on Ethan and wouldn't have been able to see past her round body anyway. She yelled in a sorry tone so fake it was near plain obvious. Oh, my goodness! I'm so sorry dear boy!

    He stood up in a huff of fury to ask his mum if he could be excused because he's covered in water. I'll just go to one of my friend's houses and get home before dinner?

     His mother looked at him in minor shock, deciding it's okay. Very well, you're not supporting your brother very well anyway. Don't do anything else stupid. She was looking back at the field before he could answer.

     He gave his aunt a blank look of disgust and could swear there's faint dirt stains on her throat. He looked away and quickly left the area, rubbing his neck at the uncomfortable thought of it snapping. Her stupid bullying worked in his favour this time and he's now free to have the rest of the day to himself. He didn't even care that all the people he would pass could see his clothes stuck to his thin body, even his dark pants appearing to be peed in. He set off for Wyatt's house finally relieved.

~ 6 ~

     Why don't you go and talk to her Wylie Coyote? Ricky said through a cheeky grin.

   Okay firstly, no. Secondly stop calling me that and thirdly, you're saying it wrong anyway. It’s Wile ‘E’ Coyote. Wyatt replied in his classic, polite bossiness.

    The 'her' Ricky referred to was a girl with long dark hair that'd been staring at them while they were in the milk bar. Beside her stood a magnificent looking dog, medium sized but big enough to leave Wyatt with discomfort. From where he was standing he could see its eyes looking on with great honour, like a royal guard.

      Come on Ricky let’s get out of here.

     They left the milk bar with their precious snacks, Ricky hardly caring about the girl as he opened his Wicked Fizz with all the casualness of such an innocent action. Yeah I reckon she was staring at me anyway, seems more likely. He said as they walked along the sidewalk.

     I'm totally sure about that. Maybe your huge ego was poking her in the eye.

     Oh come on that's a little harsh Ol Wylie! It's not an ego if it's the truth.

     One of these days you're going to piss off the wrong person, I just know it.

     Well come at me I say. He now yelled with his arms outstretched. Hear me haters?! Come at me I say, I SAY!

    Wyatt shook his head wondering if Ricky ever realised how much plain coolness he just naturally emits, especially this year. He secretly wished he could be as authentically awesome as him with his streetwise dress sense and bouncy hair. Reserved and sensible is Wyatt’s normal essence but sometimes the coolness is an attractive fantasy.

   Before eating more of his vanilla ice cream he turned to instinctively look over his shoulder- no girl there. They walked on towards Wyatt's end of town, much to Ricky's silent excitement.

~ 7 ~

   After a long but peaceful walk Ryan finally reached Wyatt's house. His clothes had dried significantly but were still a little damp.

      Is that Kylie Minogue?... He thought to himself as he got closer to the front door.

 It must be his sister, there's no way she'll hear me knocking...

    He tried anyway just so no one could say he didn't. No answer. He opened the door and went inside. Mrs Fineman? Anyone here? No answer, just the music coming from upstairs. He went up for Wyatt's room, opening the door before realising he should ask the sister if she knows when he'll be back.

    He turned around and started back towards her bedroom. As he stood outside the door, he tried to get himself ready for an irritated girl having a go at him. He hardly ever spoke to the sister. Candice? You there? He knocked a few times; the knocks seemed to go with the beat of the song. Candice?

    He slowly opened the door and saw a scene not exactly frightening, but it made his stomach drop with a feeling like fear. He wanted to look away, but it was far too fascinating. Yeah that's it, fascinating.

     Oh god, I shouldn't be here... He thought with panic and excitement, closing the door to walk rather quickly back to Wyatt's room where he planned to sit quietly until his friends got there. Sitting on the floor in front of the bed, he began looking at all the scientific stuff in the room, his eyes fell to the tiny crucifix on the wall.

     He laughed a little as he realised that it definitely was Kylie Minogue she was listening to.

~ 8 ~

      Candice was having an absolute ball. The feeling of being free by the simple task of dancing alone in your bedroom is amazing to her. This feeling of freeness was also due to the fact she never got dressed, she simply threw the towels to the hamper and danced to her mix CDs. She moved to the sound with her modesty nowhere to be seen, her body moving in tune while her semi dried hair waved and bounced in such a fashion it could be considered an artform. She found herself dancing to some Minogue song when she thought she heard something from outside her door.

      Shit maybe the twerps are back, or worse, mum...

She looked out the window careful not to show any of her naked self to the neighbours and saw no cars, telling her that her mother isn't back. She quickly got some clothes on and flopped herself down on the bed with a big sigh of pure satisfaction.

~ 9 ~

    About twenty five minutes after Ryan's encounter, his two friends walked through the front door. By this time the music had been turned down but still loud enough to be heard from downstairs. As they walked up, a song came on, stealing Ricky's attention.

      Oh what?! He said with quirky surprise. She's playing Runaway!

      Yeah she plays it all the time now. Wyatt said with little care.

    Ricky ran up the rest of the stairs to her door. For a minute Wyatt panicked at the thought of him doing this. He didn’t want any interaction between these two right now, especially negative interaction.

      I'm going to knock or something. Ricky said totally enthralled.

      Nah don't, she'll just get annoyed. Let's go to my room. Wyatt groaned.

      No I gotta say something. Ricky persisted.

      It’s just Bon Jovi. Wyatt said in a matter-of-fact tone.

      I don’t care about the political bullshit, their music is-

Someone emerged from Wyatt's room and into view.

      Ryan?! What are you doing in there? Wyatt asked with surprised interest.

     I got water spilled all over me and they let me go early. Why are you guys standing outside that door?

     Ricky replied to this with what sounded like upmost confidence and sincerity. Oh, I'm just about to ask Wylie's sister for her hand in marriage.

      I've seen more of my sister’s arse than you ever will. Wyatt scoffed.

Ryan giggled nervously.

    Ricky reacted with a high-pitched voice. Oh my, cover my ears and soap out his mouth! Does your mother know you talk such filth?!

      Wyatt sighed unimpressed and walked to his room. You guys coming?

Ryan followed and Ricky went reluctantly after, mouthing the lyrics as they played through the hall.

     Wyatt sat on his desk chair as the other two sat on the bed while Ryan told them the story of how it's the aunt's fault he got to leave the football game early. He did contemplate whether to tell them that he believed he may have forcibly hallucinated seeing vines wrap around her stupid neck, deciding he wasn’t ready to say something like that just yet, if ever.

     She's such an old hag. Ricky stated. At least you aren't blood related to the thing.

     Ryan nodded with indifference. I'm just so sick of her.

     That time she told you your parents wanted to abort you was such a horrible thing to do. Wyatt recounted, concerned.

     I don’t hate that she said that. The part I hate is that it’s true. He answered sullenly.

   Well if it makes you feel any better Wyatt has a girlfriend now. Ricky informed happily.

      Wyatt replied with a confused tone. Ah... No, I don't?

Ryan's greatly intrigued at hearing this.

     Yeah you do. That girl having a good look at us in the takeaway shop.

     That doesn't mean she's my girlfriend.

     Did you talk to her? Ryan asked.

     He didn't, I think he was too shy. Ricky answered amused.

     Wyatt answered disregarding Ricky. She was freaky. Besides, you know I don't talk to strangers.

    "No, you just can't talk to girls boyo. Ricky teased. And she wasn't freaky looking from what I could see."

      Ryan started to get confused. Okay so why was she weird and what do you mean by ‘from what you could see’? He asked.

      Ricky began to say We were at the counter and his girlfriend was-

     Not my girlfriend! She was outside, across the road with a big dog. Wyatt finished with an uneasy gaze.

~ 10 ~

      Feeling especially thirsty and peckish, Candice decided it was time for a kitchen run.

      Must've been all that dancing...

     She was at the pantry with a glass of apple juice, looking at the selection of food when she heard a cough from behind her. She jumped a little from the sudden noise causing some juice to spill onto her fingers, making her hand sticky.

    It was that Ricky in the doorway to the kitchen, leaned up against the doorframe. Hiya Candice, how ya doin'? He asked with a dorky grin.

     "Well I was going pretty well before you appeared." She placed her glass on the bench and went to the sink to wash her hands.

     Oh don't be like that, thought you'd be happy to be graced with my presence.

He observed her clothes, a casual shirt that's slightly too big for her and a pair of denim shorts that never leave much to the imagination. The hair freely hanging down her back. He loves the casual look on girls, especially when they reaped the 1980s kind of casual.

     Yeah totally. You just keep believing that little Richard. She snarked with a smirk while she cleaned her hands. I just love how when you're around my hands are instantly sticky.

    He had no idea what meant, only thinking of the Rolling Stone's album 'Sticky Fingers'. "Ah, so you're calling me Little Richard now? I am younger but I'm not little."

     She turned to look at him with one eyebrow raised. He winked at her.

Bethany once said he was kind of cute, like a puppy always following her. She also believed him to be a twerpy creep. "Play any jump rope or hopscotch today Big Richard?" She asked with an innocent face, walking over to the bench drying her hands with a tea towel.

     He laughed while he walked around to the other side of the bench so they're facing each other, to mention he heard her play Bon Jovi earlier.

      You know that band? She replied with happy interest.

     Yeah you bet your trousers I do! I even have some albums on vinyl. You like Bed of Roses? It’s the only vinyl single of theirs that I’ve got. And it’s not an easy one to get a hold of mind you.

     Don’t get too excited Skippy. She said trying to repel his attempt to have an actual conversation with her.

     "I'm into all sorts